Metal casing for leaf springs



April 22 1924. 1,491,558

L. SKOK METAL CASING FOR LEAF SXPRINGS Filed April l2 1.922

-- Ill/l/l/l/l/l/M =1.

. device as applied to a quarter elliptic LAWRENCE $3 K, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, r0

- ALBERT E. nopems,

-ME'EAL CASING- FQB OF GLEVELAND, OHIO.

srnmes.

Application filed, m 12, 1922 semlno. 551,773.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE SKOK, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and 5 State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metal Casings" for Leaf Springs, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being hadvto the accompanying drawings.

This inventlon relates to lubricating apparatus, and is concerned with improvements .in metal lubricator casings for vehicle springs of the semi-elliptic typelhe object of my invention is the provision of an oil proof casing adapted to cover the spring laminations and having a metal or armored reinforced casing comprising a series of-articulated metallic sections embracing a fabric jacket surrounding the spring laminations,

More specifically, my invention is con cerned with an improved metallic casing having the general characteristics of the spring casing described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,284,482, issued November 12th, 1918, but embodying a novel construction of the respective articulated elements of the casing which permits of its being cheaply as manufactured. and adapted to completely enclose a fabric lining in a dust and lubri-' cant tight manner. while beingcapable of ready application to thespripg.

7 Other ob'ects will be hereinafter set forth in thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompany in drawings whichillustrate a preferred em diment oi my invention. The essential features will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the spring; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of t e top elements which comprise the metallic casing; Fig. 3 is a similar view of 5 one of the bottom elements; Fig. 4 is a plan ments;; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the casing and spring lamlnatmns and illustrating the manner of attaching the lubricating nipple to the casing; Fig. 6.

is an enlarged fragmentary illustration of Q one of the joints between the "respective casingelements Fig. 7is an alternate pivotal construction.

In accordance with the object of my in-- K vention, I have arranged a casin' an impervious one piece fabric ll completely surroundmg the spring laminahavlng ng tions and cut in such a manner. from a fabric sheet that it may be neatly folded around the respective spring leaves with an overlappmg seem, as illustrated at 10 in Fig; 5. This lining may preferably be wrapped around the spring leaves with the lap extending longitudinally of the top spring blade 11.

A series of ill-shaped metallic members hereinafter designated b reference characters12, 13, 14', 15, 1c, 1 and 18 are positioned to engage the lining with the topportions thereof in juxtaposition with the overlapped portions of the lining while their side portions may extend downwardlg and over the sides of the spring leaves. similarly formed set of bottom members, are

rovided which are adapted to engage the ottom surface of the lining. 'lhese bottom casing membersmay have pivotally connected side portions 19, which are as sembled in overlapping relation with the downwardly extending portions 20.

The side portions of the members have. suitable perforations 21 and 22, formed therein for the pur 'se otarticulately securing. the respective members together. Surrounding these perforations, I have provided depressed annular portions which 0 serve to increase the efiiciency of the joint formed between the cover members in a manner to; be presently described.

8 The side flanges of the respective elements of the casing decrease in size from the middle portion A totheouter turnedup end portion B of-the 51- 81 spring'leaf, as illustrated in Fig.1 1. veperforations 21 and 22 in each succeeding set-of elements are formed therein to ap roximatel lie in anarcuate median line r ative to t eides of the casing members and extending from the spring support to the outer end of the .1

' spring, thus permitting a W deflecting of the spring while at the same time maintaining the articulated members in close engagement, irrespective to the amount of deflection in the spring. V

.The provi 'on of a simple eflicient joint construction which will ermit of a ready assemblage of the respective elements is im- 'portant in that it is highly desirable to have uniformity in the appearance of thecasing, as well as to avoid the'use of protrudin pins, legs or other expedientswhich would prevent easy cleaning of the casing. I accordingly prefer to use soft metal eyelets as pivot members .whichmay bereadily inserted in the perforations of the casing members when the latter are being posi-e tioned on the spring.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that the annular upset portions surrounding the perforations in the top and bottom members are maintained in intimate contact with the corresponding upset portions formed in the ad-. jacent members by eyelet rivet members and 26,..thus' permitting a relatively free movement of eaclr set of top and bottom members with the adjacent joined members.

The diameters of the upset portions of the bottom members may be of suflicie'nt size to provide a nesting zone for the interiorly disposed heads 25 d 26 of the rivet members 25 and- 26, respectively, thus presenting I a smooth interiorrcasing surface in contact with the fabric lining. The size of the upset engagingp; portions of the overlapping flange mem rs may be progressively increased from the inner to the outer flanges rovide a free movement there-between at the same time serve to strengthen the pivot connection, to the casing elements. Furthermore, the upset portions of the bottom members may be suficiently large to permit the use of a hollow rivet, such asJis illustrated in Fig. 6, which may be provided with a substantial head, as shown at 25 and 26. Hence when theouter end theredf is deformed. in the manner illustrated by the .dot and dash lines in Fig. 6 the pressure exerted upon the rivet during the assembling operations will not cause the head thereof to damage the fabric lining.

If desired, a screw member 28 en aging an interiorly disposed washer -mem r 29" may be used in place of the eyelet 25, in which instance the washer 29 may have a tapered perimeter adapted to enga e the perimeter of the depressed portion ormed in the flangsof the bottom members, as shown in Fig. 7. Any suitable means, such as soldering the head of the screw member to theflange of the top member, may be used to prevent the displaoingofthe screw when once assembled on the casing.

To fill the interior of the casing with lubricant, I have provided a lubricating nipspring, each memberbeing positioned on the no one of thearticulated units.

aeei aee pie 30, as shown in Fig. 5, secured to an i tions. An exteriorly disposed washermem-' ber 32 may engage a shoulder. formed on the lubricating nipple and serve as a, means'to clamp the fabric jacket and the side flanges of an upper and lower member comprising connection is thus provided, whereby the lubricating gun may be connected to the interior of the casing and the lubricant forced therefrom throughout the length of the casing and between the spring lamirfations under considerable pressure. The, end of the casing. may be suitably sealed by clampmembers, if desired, or the respective units comprising the end section thereof may be arranged to press the fabric jacket into intimate contact with the surfaces of the spring leaves.

It is to. be seen that I have provided a casing for a leaf spring built up of a number of articulated 'units, each unit comprising an upper and a lower U-shaped unit member having the flanges thereof joined, whereby the upper and lower members have no relative movement but are pivotally joined to the adjacent units in overlapping relation whence no interference is offered to the deflecting movements of the spring leaves.

Furthermore, the nature of the construction is such that the fabric lining surrounding the spring blades is reinforced by an armour in such a manner that lubricant may be forced into the fabric jacket under suflicient pressure to insurelubrication between the springinieaves throughout the length thereof. rthermore, the construction of the connection of the resplective units is of such a. simple. character t at the respective members comprising the casing may be rapidly and easily assembled upon the spring consequent to the placing of the fabric lining-about the spring leaves. Furthermore, if an eyelet is used as the pivotal member in joining the respective members, the casing may be easily removed from the spring in case of emergency, such as the replacing of a broken leaf, by filingaway the heads of the rivets without damaging any manner the elements of the casin a 1 Having thus describef my invention, 1 claim i. A casing member for a laminated spring comprisin an inner lubricant retaining fabric jac ket .ahd an outer metallic reinforcing jacket formed of a series of members embracing the top and sides of the A leak-proof spring in overlapping relation with the adjacent top members, and a second series of members embracing the bottom and sides of the spring, said upper and lower members being oppositely disposed on the spring with the sides thereof in overlapping relation with the sides of the top members, whereby they may be joined on each, side of the spring by pivot members extending through the sides of the superposed top and bottom members and through overlapping side portions of adjacent members.

2. A casing member for a laminated spring comprising an inner fabric jacket and a series of relatively movable U-shaped members embracing the top and sides of the spring and extending longitudinally thereof, said U-shaped members being positioned on the spring with the'ends thereof in overlapping relation, joining means comprising a pivotal connection formed in the overlaping side portions of the respective memers, and a series of similarly formed U- shaped members positioned to embrace the bottom and sides of the spring, the side flanges of said bottom U-shaped members being in overlapping relation with corresponding members comprising the top of the casing and. joined thereto by the same pivotal constructions which join the respective top members.

3. A casing member for a laminated spring comprisin a series of articulated box-like units, eac unit comprising an upper flanged member and a lower flanged member having the the respective flanges thereof assembled on the sprlng in an overlapping relation adjacent the sides of the spring, and having the end portions thereof in overlapping relation with adjacent units, and securing means extending through overlapping portions of the units comprising transverse pivotal connections, whereby the respective units are relatively movable.

4. In a casin for laminated springs, the combination 0 a lubricant im ervious fabric material completely surroun in the spring laminations, a series of articu ated members formed to embrace the bottom and sides of said fabric lining, and a second series of articulated members formed to embrace the top portion of the lining and the side portions of corresponding bottom members, and coupling means aflording communication to the interior of the lining whereby a grease gun may be connected thereto to force lubricant throughout the length of the casing and between the respective spring laminations under relatively high pressure, the top and bottom members having pivotal connections adjacent the sides of said spring laminations, whereby a double side wall construction of unusual strength may be obtained to resist the internal pressure of the lubricant when the casing follows the deflections of the spring.

5. In a spring casing of the character. described, the combination-of a fabric lining completely surrounding the spring laminations, and a series of articulated units comprising a lower member embracing the bottom and sides of the lining and an upper member embracing the top portion of the lining and the side portions of said bottom member, whereby a metallic armor is provided for the lining which completely surrounds the respective portions of the lining, said members being held in relative position during flexing of the spring by pivot members extending through the side walls of the respective members, I

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

LAENCE SKOK. 

